Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Progressive Schooling
Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 13, 2018 -
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Category: Children, 1960s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Silence Class
I wonder if it was possible to fail silence class. Perhaps by asking too many questions.
(left) Latrobe Bulletin - Feb 19, 1968; (right) Tampa Tribune - Feb 18, 1968
Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 03, 2018 -
Comments (5)
Category: 1960s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Anti-Puberty Pill
In 1969, British health officer Dr. J.V. Walker proposed the development of a pill "to give young people to delay the onset of sexual maturity until they leave college and could earn their own living." Walker felt certain "it should not be difficult to develop a hormone preparation for the job."Such a pill would certainly change the college experience for most people.
Akron Beacon Journal - June 1, 1969
A bit of research revealed that this J.V. Walker was Joseph V. Walker, health officer of Darlington. I couldn't find a fuller description of his anti-puberty pill, but I did come across a letter he sent to the Health Education Journal (March 1, 1970) in which he worried that young women would develop into "promiscuous addicts" if they didn't preserve their virginity until marriage. I suppose his pill would help with that goal as well.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 13, 2018 -
Comments (10)
Category: Health, 1960s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Policy by slime mold
Artist Jonathon Keats has checked in with news about his latest project. He's helped arrange for some plasmodial slime molds to become the "first non-human scholars-in-residence" at Hampshire College. The slime molds are being put to work analyzing various complex issues, such as immigration and drug policy, so that we can all benefit from "the unbiased insights of slime molds."The slime molds have already recommended that cannabis should be legalized:
More info: The Plasmodium Consortium, Hampshire.edu
Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 07, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: Art, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
The editor who featured herself
The undergrads at Tampa University had major complaints about their 1967 yearbook. For a start, all their yearbook photos were destroyed in a warehouse fire. So they didn't appear in it at all. And then, the yearbook they got was dominated by pictures of one person, the yearbook editor Carmen Gonzalez. Her picture appeared 24 times in it, including a six-page spread devoted to her as yearbook queen.When people complained, Gonzalez explained, "I got into every section because I was in everything." She elaborated that she was not only yearbook queen, but also belonged to at least 10 clubs, was named a member of Who's Who, and had the highest scholastic average at the university. Therefore, it was only natural that she gave most coverage to herself.
The students responded by holding a rally at which they burned 500 of the 2000 yearbooks that had been printed.
Sounds to me like Gonzalez was a woman ahead of her time. She would have thrived in the age of social media.
Racine Journal Times - May 27, 1967
The Tampa Tribune - May 27, 1967
Battle Creek Enquirer - May 27, 1967
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 07, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: 1960s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Sti-Yu-Ka Oatmeal Ritual
Sti-Yu-Ka, a well known tradition at Springfield College, started as a variety of activities planned in celebration on the eve of Stepping Up Day, Springfield College’s way of marking the academic accomplishments of students as members of each class advance a year in their college careers. It is held during the end of the school year. Sti-Yu-Ka was founded in 1961 by Dr. Irving Conrad, then president of the Student Government Association. The name Sti-Yu-Ka seems to have come from the Springfield College club Hosaga, a club that performed Native American traditional ceremonial dances and songs. The name seems to have come from a dance that was performed on the eve of the achievement of adulthood and meant “The Coming of Age,” an appropriate name for an event on the eve of Stepping Up Day.At the time of its creation, Sti-Yu-Ka events started on Saturday at around 1 p.m. and went until the late night/early morning hours on Sunday. Conrad tried to create events that would take the focus away from alcohol. Such activities included a pig roast, canoe races, pie eating contests, square dancing, egg tossing, Jell-O wrestling, roller skating, a greased pig chase, fireworks on Rally Hill, and even the act of smashing a car. However, drinking did become a part of these activities and over the years the Office of Student Affairs increased the official Sti-Yu-Ka events from one weekend to one week, its present length. Again, this was done in an effort to keep students on campus doing activities that were social in nature, and to allow students to spend time with their peers and to try not to focus on alcohol. Although new events are thrown into the lineup, some staple events that have remained as Sti-Yu-Ka tradition over the years are the comedian on opening night, the Campus Activities Board’s Midnight Bingo, Residence Life’s Taste of SC, and the Greased Pole Climb and Oatmeal Pass.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 17, 2017 -
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Category: Ceremonies, Education, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia, Food, Regionalism
Edward Seese Memorial Scholarship
When millionaire real estate investor Edward Seese died in March 1995, he left instructions in his will to fund a $4.5 million scholarship at Broward Community College. The recipients of the scholarship, he instructed, were to be high school students who earned a C average. He felt that scholarships typically went to high academic achievers, so the C students had been "left out in the cold."The scholarship still seems to be available to those who qualify.
Tallahassee Democrat - June 21, 1995
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 28, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Education, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia, 1990s
Great Harvard Panty Raid of 1965
The proud past of a progressive institution.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 29, 2017 -
Comments (7)
Category: Antisocial Activities, Destruction, Education, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia, Underwear, 1960s, Men, Women
Telephone Marathons
Back in 1961, the fad of holding marathon telephone calls swept college campuses. The girls dormitory would call the boys dormitory, and then people would take it in turns to keep the phone call going for days, or weeks. Of course, the dormitory phone would be tied up that entire time... so too bad if you had to use it for an actual call.The longest telephone marathon I can find a record of took place at Southern Illinois University in 1965, where they planned a 2½ month phone call. Though I don't know if the full call was actually completed.
(above and below) Dec 1961: Western Michigan students talked on the phone for 504 hours.
Southern Illinoisan - June 30, 1965
Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 24, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fads, 1960s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
Nation’s Ugliest Students
Holy Microaggressions, Batman! Imagine the stink such a stunt would cause today. Which generation of students seems more resilient, well-adjusted and good-natured to you?
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 27, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, 1980s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |